Louisiana has two cities in the Top 3 for AIDS Cases

Earlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the AIDS case rates from 2007, the most recent data available. As far as cities go, Miami tops the list with 33.1 cases/100,000 people. They are then followed by New Orleans (31.5) and Baton Rouge (31.4). A Baton Rouge news outlet posted a story today examining the cities rates and what community leaders are doing to spread knowledge and fight the disease.

Read the entire article here.

Our Young People Don't Deserve AIDS

Being a teenager nowadays is completely different than when I was making my way through my golden years (only 10 years ago). Our teens are facing sexual challenges and peer situations earlier and earlier in life. And, if we want to reach them, then we have to let go of our prejudices against them and set the lack of understanding aside. Too often, I hear older adults write off the teenage crowd with statements like “These young people are out of control,” or “We can’t help them because they just don’t want to listen.”

But, here’s the thing. Check out these statistics.

• In 2006, 34% of new HIV infections were reported in people between the ages of 13-29.

• Among US high school students, 38% of sexually active students did not use a condom the last time that they had sex (including 31% of freshmen and 46% of seniors)

• In 2006, teen girls represented 39% of AIDS cased reported among 13-19 year olds. Black teens represented 69% of cases reported among 13-19 year olds; Latino teens represented 19%.

Essentially, NONE of us can afford to dismiss this population solely because we don’t know what to say or how to say it. Recently, I attended a townhall meeting discussing “Barriers to HIV Treatment.” During the discussion, a gentleman, who works with teenage girls between the ages of 14-19, talked about his challenges with the girls. Some of the girls continually are infected with STDs, while others are involved with prostitution and low self-esteem. After he told us about a 14-yr old who was just diagnosed with HIV, he asked the room what could be done to reach out and save our young girls.

A woman responded, “We have to do a better job of understanding what they are going through.” Then, the discussion moved on to the Black gay male community, politics, and funding. As we jumped to the next topic, I remember feeling a little frustrated. Our kids are being gravely affected by a preventable disease, and THAT was all the discussion to be had? Suddenly, I had my own little thought. A thought that kind of disturbed me.

I wondered, “Have people written off our youth entirely?” Hard-headed or not, our young people do NOT deserve HIV. In fact, no one does.

There’s much to be said about the generational gap. We hear it in discussions from the pulpit to the beauty shop. Young people this, hip-hop that. Now, I’ll be the first to say that I get a little lost listening to 13 year-olds talk about “giving head” or “trying to steal her man,” but I’m also willing to admit that I just need to try harder when I talk to these young ladies. Preaching and being condescending will not move this show along. The cat is already out of the bag. Some of our youth are already practicing these behaviors, and if they aren’t personally, then they know someone who is.

The time for education and real talk is NOW. To my older adults, if you don’t know what to say or how to say it, then you need to find somebody who does. Period. Losing a young life is one of the greatest pains of society. And, losing a young life to a preventable disease like AIDS is even harder to swallow. Our young people deserve education, support, and honest conversation. What they do not deserve is AIDS.

-Karyn

Statistics: "HIV Testing and Adolescents." Last Updated February 2009.

Announcing: The Red Tie Project

In March 2009, The Red Pump Project was launched to help bring awareness to the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls. However, as we branched out and met more and more people, we kept hearing one particular question: What are you doing for men?

Very good question. Welcome to The Red Tie Project. Much like The Red Pump Project, it page will serve as a resource for local and national news and discussions related to HIV/AIDS but from a male perspective. If you would like to get more information or become involved, you can email theredtieproject@gmail.com.

Key Snapshot of the U.S. Epidemic Today

* Number of new HIV infections, 2006: 56,300
* Number of people living with HIV/AIDS: 1.1 million, including more than 468,000 with AIDS
* Number of AIDS deaths since beginning of epidemic: 583,298, including 14,561 in 2007
Percent of people infected with HIV who don’t know it: 21%

Key Statistics Regarding Men and HIV/AIDS

In 2006, men accounted for 73% of new HIV diagnoses, with 53% of cases coming from gay and bisexual men

While 67% of new male diagnosis were the result of male-to-male sexual contact, 16% of new male cases came from high-risk heterosexual contact.

Between 2001 and 2006, among males between the ages of 13 and 24, there was annual increase of 12.4 percent, compared to 1.5 percent for men overall

From 2004-2007, there was a 26% increase in HIV diagnosis amongst men who have sex with men, and a 9% increase among heterosexual males

These statistics were pulled from The Center for Disease Control's website. You can find more information there.

What is important is that The Red Tie Project will not just be focusing on issues around HIV/AIDS and MSMs (men who have sex with other men). The Red Tie Project will be exploring the role men in general play in the epidemic as well as the impact the disease has on men and boys.

Karyn & Luvvie

New & Improved Red Pump Page

Hey all! We've revamped The Red Pump Project page, thanks to the tireless work of one awesome Smart Guy, blogger extraordinaire and graphic designer of 3Six5ive Creative.

If you've tried to comment in the past and couldn't, that issue has been fixed. We even have threaded comments so we can have proper discussions. We're excited for this.

Do you like? Leave us a comment with your thoughts!